Acceptable Words

Is Jesus Lord of All – Including Your Words?

As Christians, we say that Jesus is Lord of our lives. If that is true, then Jesus would be Lord of our words as well as our deepest thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Julia M. Bruce

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As Christians, we say that Jesus is Lord of our lives. If that is true, then Jesus would be Lord of our words, as well as our deepest thoughts, emotions, and feelings. We can’t say that Jesus is Lord of our lives and then use cuss words or vulgar words. Neither can we say that He is Lord of our lives but carry around anger, bitterness, and resentment towards others. The prayer of the psalmist in Psalm 19:14, should be our prayer every day: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight.” So, then, what words and thoughts are acceptable to God?

We can’t say that Jesus is Lord of our lives and then use cuss words or vulgar words. Neither can we say that He is Lord of our lives but carry around anger, bitterness, and resentment towards others. – Julia M. Bruce

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Acceptable Words are Words of Blessing

I have no doubt that our words can be a far more powerful weapon than even the atom bomb. Our words can either be the biggest blessing or deepest wound. We can either use our words to edify (build up) others as we speak life into them or we can cause hurt as we tear them down. Our words can either encourage and comfort others or we can ridicule and shame them. And we can speak truth and life or lies and deceit.

Our words can either be a blessing or the deepest wound. We can either edify (build up) others or tear them down. We can encourage and comfort or ridicule and shame. And we can speak truth and life or lies and deceit. Julia M. Bruce

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Read the following verses to see what the Bible has to say about the power of our words:

Old Testament verses:

• There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18
• Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. Proverbs 13:3 –
• A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1
• A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Proverbs 15:4
• Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Proverbs 16:24
• Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21
• Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. Proverbs 21:23

New Testament verses:

• I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak. Matthew 12:36
• Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29
• But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Colossians 3:8
• Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt so that you may know how you out to answer each person. Colossians 4:6
• If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. James 1:26

God expects us to use our words to build each other, not tear each other down.

Acceptable Words Pray a Blessing on Others

Did you know that the Nation of Israel had a prayer of blessing they would pray over each other? Listen to the words of this prayer found in Numbers 6:24-26: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

How would our world be different if we prayed this prayer of blessing over others – even the people we don’t like? What if we memorized this prayer of blessing and when someone cuts us off in traffic we pray the prayer of blessing? Or if our boss treats us unfairly, we pray the prayer of blessing over him or her? What if our spouse does or says something hurtful we pray the prayer of blessing? Would not our world be different?

Acceptable Words are Praise and Adoration to God

Another way our words are acceptable to God is when we acknowledge His work in our lives and give Him the praise, honor and glory that is due Him. However, we can’t worship Him with our words on Sunday, but then cuss Monday through Saturday. Neither can we sing praise songs to Him in the worship service but then stand around the break room at work and tell dirty jokes, gossip, or ridicule others. We can’t lift our hands in worship to Him on Sunday, but come home to say negative and disparaging words about someone of another race.

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We can’t worship Him with our words on Sunday, but then cuss Monday through Saturday. And we can’t sing praise songs to Him in the worship service but then stand around the break room at work and tell dirty jokes. Julia M. Bruce

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If our mouth is speaking cuss words, telling dirty jokes, gossip, ridicule, and racial slurs, then that is what our heart is full of and there isn’t much room for praise and adoration for our God and our Savior. Julia M. Bruce

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If our heart is full of cuss words, dirty jokes, gossip, ridicule, and racial slurs, it begs the question: Is our worship, praise, and adoration genuine – or is it just motions we go through as we play the part of “Christian”? Julia M. Bruce

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Where Words are Birthed

Not only should our words be acceptable to God, but also our thoughts and emotions because the words that exit from our mouths begin in the thoughts of our hearts. Jesus said in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” In Matthew 15:18, He said, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart.” And in Matthew 12:34, Jesus also said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Before the word is said, the thought is formed. So if our mouth is speaking cuss words, telling dirty jokes, gossip, ridicule, and racial slurs, then that is what our heart is full of and there isn’t much room for praise and adoration for our God and our Savior. In fact, if our heart is full of those things, it begs the question: Is our worship, praise, and adoration genuine – or is it just motions we go through as we play the part of “Christian” while around other Christians in church on Sunday?

Dwell on these Acceptable Words

The psalmist also prayed that the meditations of his heart would be acceptable. These are the thoughts that dwell within us. What are the kinds of words and thoughts we should dwell on? The Bible tells us what they are.

Paul wrote a list of things in Philippians 4:8 that we should let our mind dwell on. He said, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise — dwell on these things.” If we allow our hearts and minds to dwell on these – then out of the abundance of these thoughts our mouth will speak and our words and thoughts will both be acceptable to God.

The words that exit our mouths begin in the thoughts of our hearts. If we dwell on the good things in Philippians 4:8, then out of the abundance of these thoughts our words and thoughts will be acceptable to God. Julia M. Bruce

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